Hyderabad is all set to inaugurate the first dog park in the country near Radisson Hotel in Gachibowli. Located at a prime hub in the city, the park is spread across a sprawling area of 1.3 acres.

It boasts of an exclusive play area for dogs, training and play equipment, an amphitheatre, a separate enclosure for small and big dogs, and benches shaped like bones for the owners to relax. It is reportedly the first park in India to be developed to match international standards for pets, and to be certified by the Kennel Club of India.

What was earlier a small dump yard was later converted into the park at a cost of Rs 1.1 crore.

The pet park is supposedly the brainchild of IAS officer Harichandana, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Zonal Commissioner, who developed it on the lines of pet parks which are common abroad.

“The park has a dog training centre where certified professionals would train the pets. It also has a dog splash pool and an exclusive dog play area. There is a para vet clinic where veterinary professionals would administer to the medical needs of the dogs. And for regular visitors, there is a separate walkway and benches to relax,” Rajendra Kumar, an official with the Urban Biodiversity Wing of the GHMC, told TNM.

“Pet parks are common in foreign countries, but in India, we do not have any such facility and pets are usually not allowed into regular parks. We built the park on a dump yard that was lying barren and the entire set up took around 6 months to build. There is an entry ticket fee for both dogs and visitors to the park,” he added.

The park also has provisions for persons with disabilities and their dog helpers to exercise and enjoy outdoor activities without the fear of accidents.